Sunday's Obituary - KILMER, May E. BENNETT (1881-1907)

KILMER, May E. BENNETT (1881-1907)


SENSATION AT SENECA

Sudden Death of Mrs. Roy Kilmer Starts Many Rumors

MURDER AND SUICIDE TALK

Coroner's Jury Render Verdict of Death from Natural Causes.

   Mrs. May Bennett Kilmer died very suddenly on Sunday, November 3, at Seneca. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, her husband, Roy Kilmer, was also taken very ill and for some time it was thought he was going to die. These facts seemed to produce many queries in the minds of the Seneca people and all kinds of stories were started which included murder and suicide by poison. On Monday a coroner's jury after hearing the evidence, set the people's minds at rest by returning a verdict that death was produced by natural causes.
   The inquest developed the fact that Mrs. Kilmer's death was caused by the bursting of an abscess on the brain. A post-mortem examination was made which cleared away all ideas of murder or suicide.
   Mrs. Kilmer, nee May Bennett, was married about two weeks ago in Ottawa, her former home. She was in the twenty-seventh year of her age.
   From the stories told at the time of the woman's death it was gleaned that Kilmer had been engaged to another woman, who had gone east but returned to find that Kilmer had taken another woman for his wife. A breach of promise suit was threatened and it is stated that some action had been taken in that direction. All the parties came to Ottawa last Friday in connection with the matter.
   When these circumstances became known the sensational stories were started afloat and exaggerated as they were recounted to others.

"SENSATION AT SENECA," Ottawa Fair Dealer, 8 November 1907, page 1. accessed at LaSalle County Genealogical Guild, Ottawa, Illinois.